


Crafting Station Quest

by Just_A_Simple_Fried_Egg



Series: Celestial Seas [2]
Category: Celestial Seas
Genre: Browbird, Furry, Potions, Side Quest, Witches, kitbull
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:27:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29119698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_A_Simple_Fried_Egg/pseuds/Just_A_Simple_Fried_Egg
Summary: This side quest unlocks the crafting station, which will allow me to craft items in game
Series: Celestial Seas [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2127114





	1. Part 1: Marimo Gets Adopted

**Author's Note:**

> Ough I'm a littol crazy with these entries. Also this is REALLY SAD FOR NO REASON

Marimo shook himself awake. He'd fallen asleep at his desk, again, while trying to perfect this potion recipe. Kodiak had tasked him with figuring out how to brew a mismatched potion on his own, and so far all his brews had been duds.

He looked around the room: he'd converted half of his small bedroom into a brewery, unsorted crates of various supplies and materials stacked along the walls. The desk, which he sat at, was cluttered with different notebooks and loose pages, mostly filled with notes and recipes he'd gotten from Kodiak. Underneath the desk Marimo's small brass pot sat, tucked away until he'd use it again.

Marimo hopped off the desk and to his bed, which he dug underneath for a large leather bound book. He must've had something about mismatched potions somewhere in here, the photo album that Kodiak had filled with all the pictures of Marimo and Kodiak brewing together. As Marimo flipped through, a loose picture flew out of the book, fluttering around before landing in Marimo's lap.

Marimo couldn't believe it- this picture was so old! He thought back fondly to events in the photo, the first time he'd ever tried to craft something. . .

It was cold. Winter had come and caught Marimo by surprise, submerging him into less than optimal weather. His "home", which was more like a faux shelter, barely protected him from the elements as it was, and it had become too cold to try and sleep in at night. If the little Kitbull had something to wear, like a cloak or a scarf, maybe he'd be able to manage, but he couldn't afford it and hadn't been able to scrap together enough stargold in time, leaving him bitter and freezing. His only hope was to craft something, but he didn't know the first thing about crafting. Still, he was determined, and hopped off in order to find some place to work.

At first Marimo had hoped he could work right outside where he slept in order to get done quickly, but it was just too frigid. His fingers had quickly gone completely numb and ached painfully, and he couldn't stop shaking for a second. Begrudgingly, he accepted that he'd have to travel away from his comfortable box fort and find somewhere more suitable to work. 

Trying not to be seen or noticed, Marimo slunk around looking for anywhere that could provide him somewhere warm and dry. The clearing in which Marimo's cardboard shelter rested was surrounded by a thick wood, which had in recent months become lush with snow and ice. The treetops had thinned out with the weather, shining a bright light against the reflective white snow and snow covered brush. The whole forest was sparkling, beautiful and breathtaking yet uninviting. He entered into the forest, determined to make himself a cloak or scarf.

This had proven to be quite the challenge unfortunately for the little Kitbull. He tried climbing trees, but there wasn't much room to work in the naked branches. He tried inside fallen logs, but it was too damp with all the snow. He tried in small nooks, abandoned burrows, and shallow holes, but they were all too dark and he couldn't see what he was doing. As he searched, he grew closer and closer to the town beyond the frozen over forest.

Despite great effort, he hadn't managed to make much of any headway, and as he reached the edge of the forest the sun was already sinking behind the horizon. Marimo felt ill and weak. This wasn't anything unlike how he'd been feeling for a long while, Marimo's lack of horns a constant reminder of this. If he didn't find somewhere to stay soon, he may be in serious trouble.

As the sun disappeared Marimo noticed what looked like a store atop a hill, overlooking the rest of the shopping district beyond the end of the wood. He could swear he saw some lights on, but as he approached he saw that the lights came from the apartments atop the store. He felt absolutely exhausted, freezing, and defeated. Still, hastily he jumped up onto a windowsill, then the store banner from here, and then onto a higher window's balcony. From here he could reach the ceiling and hopefully sneak into the store's attic or so he thought. Marimo overestimated his current strength and missed the jump, instead plummeting into the snow. 

Marimo couldn't make it home in this state. He couldn't make it anywhere in this state. The truth was he was barely able to drag himself to a heating grate on the floor, which was the warmth he needed but soaked him in the surrounding water- a byproduct from the melted snow. Marimo collapsed here, ill and weak. Maybe he'd have better luck tomorrow.

Here in the shopping district the snow stayed plowed on account of all the people, which greatly aided Marimo on his quest. During the daytime the shops were open too, allowing him to warm up a bit inside (though most didn't let him stay long, and some wouldn't allow him entry at all on account of his lack of proper attire). He tried setting up some sort of workplace in different cars, and even on top of a motorbike, but eventually he had to leave when their owners arrived. It was still too cold out to work outdoors as well, even if he left to warm up periodically. 

Marimo decided to return to the first shop that was a bit away from the rest and attempt the jump onto the ceiling once more, but as he approached he noticed the delivery workers carrying shipments down into the open cellar doors. As Marimo observed them, he realized there was a period of time in which no one was near the doors, when the workers were grabbing more supplies to bring. He used the opportunity to dash down, tucking himself behind a few crates as workers began coming down again.

When he was able he made his way up the steps that lead into the shop, then again to get to the apartment above, and once more in order to get into the third floor. This was some sort of storage space which functioned like an attic, and Marimo easily made his way into a back corner away from prying eyes.

Marimo hadn't even realized he fell asleep till he woke up later. It was so warm up here, or at least it was compared to what Marimo had grown used to up until now. Finally, he'd found the perfect place to set up a crafting station and make himself a winter outfit. He hopped along the tops of the various forgotten things and stuff in the room to the window, which he cracked open just enough to be able to get out and make it back in.

Returning to town, Marimo collected some things that would help him set up an area where he could get to work. A small cardboard box made for a sort of table, and some newspapers would work as a tablecloth. He still couldn't afford any supplies, but was betting on there being some things he could "borrow" in the attic he'd be in.

Marimo returned to the room by climbing up from a garbage can to a lamppost to atop the storefront, then around the scaffolding and up onto a ledge, and finally jumping up in order to climb into the open window. As he made his way back to the corner, he grabbed what looked like a plastic bowl that'd been tossed half hazardly. He put down the bowl upside down and sat atop it, placing the small box in front of him. Finally laying the newspaper down as a tablecloth Marimo had succeeded at making a makeshift crafting area of sorts. Now if he could figure out how to make a scarf he'd actually be able to survive the winter.

• • •

Kodiak thought he was going to lose his mind. It'd been going on for days now- first, he could swear he heard people walking around when no one was there. And now stuff was disappearing around the house. Right now he had been hastily searching around for his missing spool of time, a magical item used in special magic crafting which Kodiak was something of an expert in, when his wife Cricket walked in.

"Just finished locking up the shop. Maybe we can- what in the world are you doing" she mused, stifling a laugh as the Browbird tore through the living room in search of his lost item.

He groaned, getting on his hands and knees to peer underneath the couch. "I'm telling you babe, _weird stuff_ has been going on! Cricket rolled her eyes and Kodiak continued. "First, I hear someone around the house, and then my-"

"Your shimmerweave silk went missing, I know" she groaned. "I'm telling you, you misplaced it somewhere! You can't possibly believe-"

"AND NOW MY SPOOL OF TIME IS MISSING. WE. ARE. HAUNTED." Kodiak exclaimed, waiving his arms in the air. Cricket was not amused. 

Kodiak frowned. "Fine, don't believe me? I'll prove it to you" he huffed, getting back up and cracking his back in the process. "Boys? Oh boys!" He called, looking overly confident. From down the hall Kodiak's two sons- a small blue Browbird and an even smaller fluffy white Kitbull- appeared. Kodiak glanced a premature Told-You-So face to Cricket before turning to the young men. "Now, be honest with me. Have you noticed anything. . . Strange going on lately?" He asked, and a knowing looked washed over both their faces. 

"HAH!" Kodiak sneered to his wife, who rubbed at her temples. Puff, the older brother, shifted his weight from foot to foot nervously. Puffin, the younger brother, cut in.

"Uh, so we've all noticed something is happening, right?" He asked, and his father nodded excitedly. Cricket just rolled her eyes.

"Your father, in his old, senile mind, thinks we're haunted" she said dully. Puffin couldn't hold back a chuckle.

Kodiak grumbled. "It's not just me, something is _definitely_ happening!" He defended, looking to Puffin for help. 

"Well, that I can agree with" Puffin nodded, sitting down on the couch with Puff in tow. "Why just the day before yesterday. . ."

Puffin had been working in his dad's store below the apartment, making deliveries sometimes but overall enjoying the slow business. Around noon he headed upstairs for his lunch break. He was absolutely starving, and had planned to make a rather intricate and indulgent toasted sandwich, but he soon learned that the house was a little behind on grocery shopping. He had nothing better to do and decided to grab some bags and his motorcycle and head into town to grab a few things.

He parked his bike at the curb and locked it up, not too worried about it being stolen. It was a small town, and he didn't think anyone would do that to him. The bags Puffin had brought were quickly filled with heads of lettuce, thick ripe tomatoes, shiny red onions, hearty golden brown potatoes, fine cuts of fresh meats like glazed smoked ham and seared sliced turkey, and all different kinds of fatty cheeses like creamy swiss, chunky provolone, dense american, and delicious thin sliced cheddar. He also made sure to grab a few loaves of fresh baked breads, like fragrant rye, fluffy italian, and classic white bread.

Satisfied with his haul, Puffin headed back to his bike with his bags in tow. It was just as he was heading back that be noticed the little green creature seated atop his motorcycle! It scurried off before he got a good look, but oddly enough it left behind what seemed to be a little piece of Cloud Cloth fabric. It was definitely strange, but Puffin decided to focus on getting home and making his killer sandwich.

It wasn't long before the weirdness found it's way back to Puffin, however, as when he arrived home he noticed that one of the storage windows had been cracked open. He gathered his groceries, and when he looked again. . .

". . .It was closed!" Puffin exclaimed, looking around at his family's reactions. Puff had been enamored with the tale, and Kodiak satisfied, but Cricket was only more peeved than before.

"So. You bought groceries, thought you saw the window open, and now we need to call ghost busters" she deadpanned, arms crossed. Kodiak stomped a taloned foot in annoyance. 

Kodiak shook his head. "You may not believe me, and you may not believe Puffin, but you can't deny all of us. Tell her, Puff" he said, looking to Puff expectantly. Puff piped up nervously.

"Well" he started, recalling the events from yesterday. It was late in the evening, and Puff had decided he'd use the groceries Puffin had picked up the day before to make a potato and Broccoli Cheddar soup with sandwiches for dinner.

It was a fairly simple and straightforward meal, but Puff liked to let the potatoes soak for ten minutes after being peeled, then again for a half hour or so when they were sliced. In the meanwhile, he steamed the broccoli with chicken stock just to get the flavor soaked in and not to cook them all the way before finely chopping it up. In a pot, Puff began to prepare a rue by combining flour with melted butter. He added salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce, ground mustard, and garlic, stirring until it was a thick smooth substance. Then he added milk, stirring on a low heat until it came to a boil before finally adding his grated cheddar cheese. He made sure to melt the cheddar fully to create a cheesy rue before adding the finely chopped broccoli and potato slices. The potato, which grew soft, blended with the rue over a low simmer, and the broccoli also broke apart and binded with the soup's broth.

Pleased with his broccoli and potato cheddar soup, Puff turned his attention to the sandwiches, leaving it to simmer while he worked. He used the italian loaves to make long subs of toasted ham and swiss sandwiches, which he then cut up for everyone. He was just about to serve the soup into bowls, when he turned back and saw that the pot was no longer on the stove at all! In fact, it was on the counter-

"-and the lid was missing, along with a helping of soup!" Puff finished, wiggling his hands for dramatic affect. "I was convinced Puffin had snuck an extra bowl, but he wasn't even in the apartment when it happened."

Kodiak, Puffin, and Puff turned to Cricket, who only pursed her lips. "Well. . . I admit, maybe I have heard some little steps when I thought I was alone, coming from the storage unit. I thought it was Puff, honestly" she said. Puff shook his head, signifying that he'd not been up there.

"Well if there is something, ghost or not we have to investigate" Kodiak concluded, and everyone agreed.

Puffin grabbed a flashlight. "I'm sure it's nothing- maybe a vermin got in somehow" he offered dryly, still half convinced it was the dead come back for revenge. The four headed up the staircase, carefully pushing the already cracked storage door open and stepping inside. At first nothing happened, but then a chattering and scamper of feet could be heard from by the back wall. 

Cricket gasped- there WAS something up here! They split up, Kodiak approaching from the front, Cricket on the left and Puffin on the right, and Puff jumping from atop stacks of objects. Whatever it was, they had it cornered.

Kodiak lunged forward. "I GOT IT! I GOT IT!" Cricket shone the light on his hands to reveal a squirming and scared green Kitbull. It was so small and starved, shaking like a leaf in the wind, obviously sickly and frail. With the light, the four could see what it had been doing: sewing Cloud Cloth to the stolen Shimmerweave Silk using the missing Spool of Time, into what almost looked like a starsear cloak. It's hands were covered in inexperienced pricks from the needle. The kitbull could only fuss a little before laying limply, exhausted.

Kodiak looked as if he might weep. There weren't words enough to describe the worse than sour conditions. I mean, that was definitely not how you make a starsear cloak. Had the kitbull really been up here all alone? It's fur was so course and matted, and as his hands ran along the small Kitbull's body he felt at the lack of horns on it's head, making him stifle a sob. A mutual understanding fell on them all, and they took Marimo downstairs to the apartment.


	2. The Big Test

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This side quest unlocks the crafting station, which will allow me to craft items in game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These are taking me longer than I'd like unfortunately

* * *

Darkness coated the outside world, cut at the horizon by the glistening white snow carpet along the hills. In the near distance, the forest swayed wearily and uninviting. On the other side, the small town below stood, draped in shadows and silence. Everyone was still fast asleep, leaving not a single forgotten lamp on or lonesome store open as the town rested through the night. It would still be many hours until the sun rose from its slumber, jump-starting the world below it into a bustling busy day. Now it was completely dead still, the world so halted that a single drop of a pin might startle the curled up little Kitbull who had been resting peacefully in the night. That is, until the blaring alarm clock began it's show of beeps and horns, waking him with a start as it screamed right off the shelf it was perched upon and promptly fell on his head.

Marimo yawned heartily, stretching out on his soft, plush bed. As he did various papers and books were pushed off his covers and onto the already cluttered floor. The whole room was an absolute wreck- books were stacked in various piles or shoved half-hazardly into the many shelves lining the walls. Piles of thrown about materials littered the floor. The carpet at the foot of his bed was covered in spilled liquid and broken glass which Marimo had neglected to clean the day before. His work desk was piled high with papers and scrolls he'd been reading as well as different failed recipes and dud elixirs. In the middle of it all was his big brass cauldron, full of a nasty pooling potion that'd spoiled after being left out uncovered. Underneath it were high piles of soot from the fires, which had coated the hardwood floor and knitted carpeting in greys and blacks.

The whole place looked as if a tornado had ran through it, evidence that Marimo had recently crafted a potion for his mentor, Kodiak, as a part of his apprenticeship. In fact, today Marimo would be getting a new assignment, and he knew Kodiak wouldn't approve of the disgusting and dangerous state his room was currently in. With a sigh, he hopped off his bed and got to work tidying up.

It was already nearly afternoon when Marimo had finally finished cleaning up his room. The place positively sparkled with reinvigorated life. Even his plants perched on the real high shelves had perked up. The freshly mopped and polished floors were clear of their previous litter, the books and scrolls now sitting in the bookshelves which were organized by letter. The desk, too, was picture perfect. Even Marimo's writing utensils had been sorted- the brushes, pens, pencils, inks, and loose papers all neatly in their places, leaving a large area for work to be done on it. A gleam shone off the big cauldron which was tucked underneath the desk after being scrubbed and emptied, and the soot all swept away. Marimo had just popped his stained rug into the wash when Kodiak emerged to see how Marimo was doing.

Kodiak looked around the room and smiled in satisfaction. "Good to see you're finally keeping this pig stye in order! It's like I always say, a clear room is a clear mind!" He laughed, and Marimo rolled his eyes. Jumping up onto the desk, Marimo revealed the potion he'd prepared for Kodiak: a mismatched potion. Kodiak looked it over intently before picking it up with delicate hands.

"It's bottled correctly, nicely poured" he remarked as he looked over Marimo's work. He gently uncorked the potion and sniffed to judge the aroma. "Nice and sweet, with just a hint of Auric Aurum. You didn't let the Beast Blood overpower, that's good. . ." Kodiak continued, seeming satisfied so far.

He began to walk out the room and down the hall to his office, Marimo at his heels, in order to test the potion and make sure it was safe to ingest. This was standard: a small drop would be applied to a special paper, which was run through a machine. The machine would run various chemical reactions on the potion to make sure it could be consumed. Once it was cleared, Kodiak would administer the final test: a small sampling of the potion. Not enough to gain any effects, but enough that he could judge the craftsmanship of the recipe.

Marimo waited in silent anticipation. He knew in his heart he'd nailed the potion's taste, but couldn't help the welling anxiety in his chest as Kodiak tasted the drink. At first Kodiak scrunched his brow, but he couldn't hide the smile that overtook his face.

"Delectably sweet, rich creamy, and what an amazing kick in the end!" He exclaimed, licking his lips. "You totally nailed this assignment!" This made Marimo very proud, and he purred at his own success. Kodiak noted the grade in his chart before sucking his teeth.

Marimo looked at him inquisitively. "Clearly you need something that's more of a challenge than this, hmm? I suppose kitbulls are naturally drawn to magic. . . I've been underestimating you" Kodiak mumbled, deep in thought. He flipped through his notes, looking over the various assignments that Marimo had completed so far for his internship before deciding on how to test the little Kitbull.

He put the chart down with a soft clack. "Alright Marimo, you will make me a Mythic Trait potion. You have three weeks to present it to me, and every day late will be a penalty. Your time starts tomorrow." And before Marimo could muster out a surprised chirp Kodiak wheeled on his heels and left. 

Poor Marimo couldn't believe what he'd just heard. A mismatched potion was one thing- the cold climate of the planet Marimo inhabited made it ideal for all the ingredients needed to brew the sweet treat. But a mythic potion was in a completely different class- not only was it incredibly rare, but it required double the ingredients and was very dangerous to brew. He recounted many horror stories of DIY mythic potions gone wrong and shuddered.

He decided to sleep on it and begin work in the morning. Nothing productive would get done if he kept stressing like he was now. Almost reluctantly he climbed into bed and passed out, falling into a deep sleep.

• • •

At the library Marimo poured over various books and scrolls. Anything about mythic traits and mythic potion brewing he grabbed, looking keenly for techniques or safety guidelines to follow on his endeavor. He'd managed to pull up a recipe that morning from his go to recipe book: _1001 Potent Potions for the Bustling and Busy Brewer_ which was nice, but the recipe was vague and left out key details like how long to cook the brew and how much of each ingredient to use. 

Despite having spent hours researching, though, Marimo had turned up fruitless. Not many people made mythic potions- or at least not many people here. If Marimo wanted to do this safely and correctly, he'd have to go and look somewhere else. Maybe one of the nearby planets would have a brewery or potion shop he could visit.

Back home, Marimo made his way up, up, up, all the way to the observatory on the fourth floor. Here, he consulted the detailed map that the observatory housed, which depicted the surrounding solar systems and constellations. Many of the nearby planets were inhabited, and Marimo began to look at them all closely.

Planet Cantulon was a big gassy planet nearby. It was always hot and steamy, making it a tourist attraction as a spa planet. A bit further away, Planets "Big Tukket" and "Little Tukket" orbited right next to each other. They were just far away enough from each other that they didn't crash, but always looked like they were right next to each other. The bigger Tukket was full of plains and flatlands, and was perfect for farming trees and roots as well as staple crops. Little Tukket was lush with water and grew many rices and grasses. 

Planet Jjahgo was uninhabited, but it's four moons were: Inkha, Jhinkha, Plinkha, and Boe. All four were ripe with companions, making it a great spot for catching a little buddy or a pet.

The planet that caught Marimo's eye, however, was little planet Lynn. It was more a moon than a planet, though it had no mother to claim, instead floating aimlessly. It was too far from the sun to have an orbit and was frozen over, much like Marimo's home. It was uninhabited except for one single person who ran a remote potion shop.

This was perfect! An area so secluded must have been chosen because the owner was well versed in void magic- a very dangerous and powerful subsection of aspects. Marimo got ready for the trip straight away- he wouldn't be able to teleport and had to take a ship. He packed everything he needed for the trip and headed to the docks.

• • •

The trip took two days, and another two to get back, five days in total. Now Marimo had detailed instructions on the brewing of a mystic potion- and was able to buy the first ingredient too! That left him sixteen days to find the remaining seven ingredients and concoct a showstopping mythic potion. He could do this!

Having already gotten the Ardent Ash, Marimo set out to get the next ingredient he needed: a Solar Globe. Luckily, he had a spare stashed in his room already. Two down, six ingredients to go.

The next ingredient was Auric Aurum. Alchemists were able to create this pure liquid gold by using an ancient technique recently rediscovered. Marimo could buy it in a shop- but the crowded space made him anxious. He decided to visit an alchemist friend and get some directly from the source. It took two days to make, leaving him fourteen days to finish his assignment. Three ingredients collected.

This next ingredient had intimidated Marimo. He needed a Rose of the Sun, a rare flower that only bloomed at a certain time next to the hottest suns. A book Marimo had shoved underneath his bed revealed the answer, however, and Marimo was able to pluck a rose with special heat resistant mitts adorned. That was four ingredients.

Now Marimo would tackle the Unicorn Spire. Not much has been documented about this ingredient besides it's known use as a peculiar item for Kitbulls. As such, Marimo decided to start his search at areas rich with magic energy, as Kitbulls were naturally magic inclined. He was able to trade for a Unicorn Spire, which marked five ingredients collected in all.

Marimo was running out of time, and this next ingredient had racked him over the coals. Though Marimo knew Celestial Orbs grew on trees, he didn't know where to find one, and he only had one more week to collect the remaining ingredients. He decided to skip to the next two ingredients for now.

Soul Geodes were found in deep caverns and mines. A nearby planet was full of deep tunnels that ran though it's body just like this. A quick trip rewarded Marimo handsomely with the Soul Geode he needed and more! He stashed the extra rocks in his room for future use and moved on.

The last ingredient, the Prism Star, regularly fell from the sky. As such, many were stuck to different shop ceilings around town, and Marimo got one easily. It was just his luck that while up there he found an old and forgotten celestial orb! It was a little dusty, but it'd do.

That was all eight ingredients! And with four days to spare Marimo had just enough time to begin brewing the Mythic Trait potion he needed.

Marimo began by lighting a potent green flame under his cauldron. Carefully he began his broth, simmering the Unicorn Spire and Ardent Ash into a healthy amount of Auric Aurum. After a few hours, he ground the Soul Geode to a fine paste and slowly added it to his brew. A single petal from his Rose of the Sun made it in, causing the mixture to burst into colorful flames. This sat and stewed overnight, becoming an intriguing pinkish hue. The Celestial Orb and Prism Star went in next, folding into the stew like melted cheese. Very carefully Marimo cracked the final ingredient, the Solar Globe, allowing it's contents to pour out into the mix.

It certainly looked like he'd done it correctly. There wasn't enough time for Marimo to test the potion, however, and he was forced to trust the hard work he'd put in so far. Steam hissed from the glass bottle's neck as Marimo poured the potion into it's container, corking two potions in case something happened to the first. These had to refrigerate for six hours before they could be consumed, so Marimo let Kodiak know they'd be in the fridge waiting for him.

These past three weeks were. . . Hard. Very hard. Marimo looked around at the absolute wreck his room had become. Green, glistening ash and soot coated the floor. Books and papers spilled out of every nook and off of every shelf. The crafting materials, which Marimo had sorted beautifully, were now dug through and thrown about in all directions. His bed, which had been made neatly, was now stacked high with all types of things Marimo has grabbed during his endeavors. He could tidy up, even just a little, but decided instead to push the garbage off his bed and flop down atop it.

He could clean up tomorrow.


	3. Throwback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This side quest unlocks the crafting station, which will allow me to craft items in game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally done with this little storyline woo hoo

Marimo rolled around the freshly washed sheets on his pampered and fluffed up bed. His silky white fur bled beautifully into the green puff of fluff surrounding it, and when Marimo rolled onto his stomach it became clear that this green sea of fur coating him was the inspiration for his namesake. 

The little Kitbull gazed around his room with half lidded eyes. It was unusually tidy- Marimo had straightened up in anticipation for his next assignment after submitting his Mythic Trait potion, but his master had decided to give his student a week off for doing a good job with his studies thus far. A gleam shone off Marimo's brass cauldron, shimmering in the dim room. With the dark blue wallpaper Marimo's room looked like the night sky, and the sparkles flung off Marimo's cauldron were stars casted onto that sky in a marvelous fashion. Such a serene scene was lulling Marimo right to sleep.

Something bugged at Marimo, though, and despite having settled down for a cat nap he begrudgingly hopped off his bed in order to dig around for something. He checked in his coat pockets, then around his desk, throwing papers around carelessly in his search. It wasn't stuck between any books on the bookshelf, either, though this was only discovered after Marimo had flung a few off their shelving. Finally he reached underneath his bed, pulling out a little box with a triumphant purr.

What Marimo had been searching for was a small golden gift box, wrapped in shiny metallic paper and complete with a duller, textured golden bow. Gingerly he unlaced it's tie, opening it to reveal the prize inside. . .

• • •

When Marimo's cloak crafting endeavors fell flat on it's face, the little Kitbull was forced to move on and turn tail. That is to say, he had to return to the frozen over forest before he was caught as a little stowaway. He trudged deep into the dark fortress, sinking into the snow below his little feet. It was out of the frying pan and into the fire for the poor lad, and as he collapsed into the frozen mounds of snow he wondered when next he'd be able to leave this cursed wasteland.

You can imagine Marimo's surprise as he came to in some sort of warm, cozy cave. This wasn't where he last remembered being at all- where there were tall, arched trees, a dull stone wall surrounded the little Kitbull. Instead of the bitter pale snow, Marino had awoken in a soft yet scratchy straw bed.

He decided to brush himself off and look around- though there wasn't much to see. Some gear laid limply along the cave walls. Upon closer inspection it seemed like various tools for traveling around different worlds. There was hiking gear, heat resistant armor, a scuba diving suit, big boots for trudging through swamps, and all types of weapons and traps. Oddly enough, there didn't seem to be any type of gear for cold winter climates like the planet Marimo resided. 

Besides the gear, some dried and salted meats hung from the walls. Jars of fruits and jams were stacked along with cans of soup and beans. An eerie purple fire stoked in the middle of the cave, and as much as Marimo wanted to inch away from it he was drawn to it's warmth. Curling by the fire, he helped himself to a can of hearty chicken soup (not made with real chickens- no birds were harmed in the making of this soup).

He was just lapping at the bottom of the can as the presumed owner of the supplies returned, making Marimo jump. A painted satyr decked head to hoof in the warmest gear for the frozen forest outside greeted Marimo with a grunt and waive of hand, stepping in and closing off the cave's entrance. They shook off, knocking snow from their antlers and shoulders onto the floor below them as they walked closer to Marimo, finally stopping just in front of him to plop down by the fire. A squeak escaped the fluffy vermin as he hopped back to the straw bed he awoke in, shaking with cowardice.

"Awe, don't be afraid little fella" the painted satyr cooed, pulling off his hat and scarf tenderly to reveal their soft, tan face. Warm, autumn hair spilled out over their shoulders without their hat in the way, and Marimo was able to see that the stranger had a broken horn just like him. He was still weary of the stranger, though, and kept his distance.

The painted satyr huffed. "Rude little booger, huh? Here I found you withering away in the snow and saved you from an uncertain demise, and this is how you thank me." This wasn't entirely accurate. In truth, Helian- our painted satyr stranger- had mistaken Marimo's backside in the snow for a patch of grass and stepped on him. They feared what may have happened to the Kitbull if left for dead due to their carelessness and decided to care for him here in the cave where they'd been staying. Of course, this opinion changed once Helian caught sight of the soup Marimo helped himself to. How rude of him.

Marimo didn't know this, however, and felt guilted by Helian's berating. He slunk down from the straw, mustering out a weak chirping noise. It wasn't exactly thanks, but it was something. Helian accepted it with a groan, grabbing himself a can of beans and prying the lid off with a Swiss army knife. "Now tell me, little one" Helian started before stuffing his mouth full of beans. They swallowed quickly to continue, "what in the world was that abomination you were carrying around?" They asked, pulling out the coat Marimo had tried to make.

It was a sad sight indeed. Patches of Shimmerweave Silk stuck out oddly along the Cloud Cloth base, held loosely together with thick stitches of Spool of Time thread. It sort of resembled a coat, but the magical items hadn't binded together at all. Worse, ingredients were missing from the concoction. If someone wore this mess of fabric out in the cold, it wouldn't do much of anything for them.

Marimo explained his situation by writing it into the soot below the fire. How he'd escaped the forest in order to attempt to make something to protect himself, and how he'd been forced to return before getting caught without a coat when he failed. The Satyr seemed to well up at the story, blubbering a bit as they tried to speak.

Helian pulled themself together. They were a great adventure, conquerer of beast and man! Yet. . . Something about Marimo tugged at their heart. They had to help him.

With a sigh, Helian dug around through his belongings before pulling out a weathered map. The Satyr unraveled it, showing Marimo an overhead view of the forest he knew as his home. A spot had been marked deep within it in red ink, labelled "BEAST'S LAIR". Marimo gave a puzzled noise prompting Helian to explain.

"See, this is a map of the woods. This is where we are here" they said, pointing to a spot near the outskirts of the forest. "I need to get here, to this red circle" Helian continued, pointing now to the big red spot on the map. Marimo nodded in understanding, so Helian went on. "See, I'm a hunter of sorts. I've heard recent tell of a great beast that's taken home in this forest, and I wanted to get a look for myself. The problem is I can't seem to get anywhere on foot. This wood is so dense with magic, it literally won't let me in any deeper."

Marimo knew how much the forest hated visitors. He didn't like people all that much himself, but the forest was much more intimidating. The only thing it hated more than people coming uninvited was when it's creatures left, and Marimo could feel the woods around him reveling in the fact that he returned. 

With his little hands he spread the soot out, writing into it once again. Helian read it silently.

"So the forest made you? That makes sense- Kitbulls are made from pooling magic like this. The forest must be quite possessive if it's so hard for you to leave, and so hard for me to stay." Marimo nodded at this, then sighed, his ears drooping.

Helian thought for a moment. They had a plan, but it was dangerous and stupid. Luckily, they did dangerous and stupid quite well, and it was just ridiculous enough that it might actually work. They puffed out their chest confidently, letting out a hearty laugh. "What if I told you I could get my beast and get you off this rock, and you'll get riches to boot! Whaddya say?" This caught Marimo's attention, and he nodded feverishly.

Helian explained their plan, and after a short deliberation Marimo accepted. Before they could set off, though, there was still the issue of Marimo's lack of proper attire. At the moment the coat Marimo had attempted was lying in the dirt, unusable. This was all part of Helian's plan, though, and he brushed it off gently before handing it to the kit.

"Unthread this, ok? I'll show you how to properly prepare a cloak" they purred, and Marimo obliged. Helian pulled a vile of Stardust and a Crystal Ice out from his hoard and laid it out, taking the Cloud Cloth and Shimmerweave Silk and lying it next to them. Using the Spool of Time, Helian tied the fabrics to the Crystal Ice round the middle. He handed the odd bundle to Marimo, and when he held it it began to glow a soft blue. 

"Now, sprinkle the Stardust along the bundle" Helian ushered, and tentatively Marimo picked up the vile. He uncorked it, bits of the glittery substance flying out into the air, and gently sprinkled a handful onto his items. As he did, the magic in the items shone brightly, and they started to warp together. It withered and groaned, writhing on Marimo's lap. The fabrics wound themselves tightly together, restitching entirely to form into a deep blue cloak. The Crystal Ice shattered apart, melting into the fabric and fusing into it to create a cold seal. The lights died down now, and lying in front of Marimo was a successful Runefrost Cloak.

Marimo couldn't believe his eyes. He'd really done it! He'd made a cloak! Positively bursting with joy, the little Kitbull jumped into his new cloak, astonished by it's softness. The cloak was airy, yet dense, trapping Marimo's natural body heat without weighing him down. Helian smiled, happy to see that the cloak was made correctly. That's step one of his master plan complete.

"Alright Marimo, we best be off" Helian called, gathering some weapons and strapping them on his person. He slipped the map into his satchel along with some of the salted meats and a few soups for Marimo. "Lead the way, my fuzzy friend."

It didn't take long for the forest to part ways with the two of them travelling together. As Helian had predicted, the forest cared more about keeping Marimo in than forcing them out, and it gladly allowed the pair passage deeper into it's maze. Soon, they'd made it to the clearing Marimo used to call home, his small box house looking unusually wet and cold. Maybe it was just because he had a nice warm cloak now, though.

That was step two complete. Now for step three: finding the beast. Helian was just about to reach for a creature whistle when Marimo tugged at his leg, gesturing to their left. In the distance, something big was moving between the trees, and if they strained Helian could hear a soft. . . jingling of sort? No matter, this mystery was about to get cracked wide open. They gave a look to Marimo telling him to stay back and he obliged, jumping behind a rock to watch as Helian stepped carefully toward the beast. A little closer, then he struck, piercing a sword into it's back with a triumphant call.

Presents poured at Helian's feet. What Helian had struck wasn't a beast's hide- it was a bag, full of wrapped gifts. Giftbull turned around with a dull expression, looking at the mess with a huff.

"Giftbull!? What are you doing here?" Helian asked, and giftbull groaned loudly. Marino trotted over when he figured the danger had passed, and him and giftbull spoke silently for a moment before he turned to Helian, writing into the snow: Forest Won't Let Giftbull Leave

Helian nodded in understanding. "No worries my big friend, me and Marimo here will be setting off right now" the Satyr called loudly, and as if on cue the forest wrapped around the trio as if to grab them. Helian grabbed ahold of the Runefrost Cloak Marimo made, ripping it right off Marimo's head. Pulling a magic arrow from his back, he stabbed the cloak through it and fired it away from them low to the ground. The forest, focused on catching Marimo, followed the cloak, and the trio dashed off the other way. They managed to escape, but at the expense of Marimo's first ever craft.

When the three were a safe distance away from the cursed woods, it was time to part ways. Helian and Marimo agreed to continue to travel together, and as they said goodbye giftbull gave each of them a small present as a token of it's thanks. For the Painted Satyr, giftbull procured a rustic brown present with a fluffy black bow. For Marimo, giftbull handed over a little golden box with a note that read "to remember today." Helian tore through theirs immediately, but Marimo held onto his as a keepsake. To remember today.

• • •

Marimo couldn't believe what was in the little golden present. Slowly, still in disbelief, he pulled out a tiny Runefrost Cloak. A hole where the magic arrow had punctured it confirmed that it was the very same cloak Marimo had crafted, but how had giftbull managed to return it from the forest?

Some things are better left unanswered.


End file.
